Improvement in metallic cars



B. J. LA M-OTHE. Metallic Car.

No. 198,631. Patented Decr25, I877.

JUNITED STATES P TE T QFFIGE.

BERNARD J. LA MOTHE, on NEW YORK, NY.

IMPROVEMENT IN' MET AL LIC C A RS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 198,631, dated December25,1877; application filed May 7, 1577.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARD J. Lu MOTHE, of the city and State of 'NewYork, have invented an Improvement in Metallic Cars, of which thefollowing is a specification:

I make use of tubes and rods to form the frame-work and platform of thecar; and my present invention relates to peculiar features .ofconstruction, and to the means for firmly uniting the tubes or rods toeach other at the points of intersection. I also make use of a tubulardraft-bar passing through the transom-beam, and provided with springs atthe opposite sides of the bar, so as to obtain great strength,durability, simplicity, ease of adjustment, and lightness.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a section transversely of the car, showingthe frame thereof. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the draft-bar andpart of the platform. Fig. 3 represents the wedge-acting filling-piecesthat are used at the intersections. Fig. 4 shows one of the woodenblocks employed at the intersections, and Fig. 5 shows the wrought-ironcouplingclips used in the upper part of the car-frame.

In Letters Patent No. 185,446, granted to me, a metallic car-frame isset forth. My present invention is an improvement upon the same in theparticulars hereinafter set forth.

The platform portion of the car is composed of the longitudinal tubes ata and transverse tubes or rods I) 12, and at the intersections there arewrought-iron straps e, that pass around the ranges of longitudinal tubesc, and are perforated for the passage of the transverse tubes or rods b.

To facilitate the adjustment of the parts to their proper positions asthey are put together, it is preferable to employ holes that are largeenough to allow the rods or tubes to slide through the straps withcomparative freedom; but after the parts are in place the intersectionsrequire to be held firmly. This I accomplish by the blocking-pieces i,that are driven into the straps 6 between the respective pipes or rods.These blocking-pieces may be made of wood or metal, in the shape shownin Fig. 4, with the ends recessed semicircularly and slightlywedge-shaped, so as to be inserted where the pipes can be slightlysprung apart, and then driven into place firmly; but I pre- 'ferfto useblockingpieces of metal, that are introduced in a V shape into theirplaces,

as shown at f, Fig. 3, and after the parts have been correctlypositionedthese blocking-pieces are tightened by the ends being driven toward eachother into a parallel or nearly parallel position, thereby actingastoggles or wedges to clamp the pipes or rods firmly within the strapse. i

The longitudinal tubes of the platform are, by preference, secured attheir ends to the end beam 9 bypassingthem through the beam, and havingnuts or screw-caps screwed upon the said pipes at one or both sides ofthe beam, as at h. e

The transom-beam is made of metal tubes 70, preferably flattened, andwith wood between said tubes, and bound together by a sheetmetal case,1, which is especially useful near the middle, where the king-boltisapplied.

The draft-bar is made of a tube, m, that passes through thetransom-beam, and it is provided with helical springs 11. oaroundthesame, one at each side of the transom-beam, and there are collars 3 and4 around said tube m, forming abutments forthe springs. These collarsmay be either screwed on or secured by cross-pins, or otherwise.

At the outer end of the draw-bar is a hollow open head, 1), for thereception of alink or other coupling device, and this head 10 is firmlysecured to the tube.

It will now be understood that the tube m, sliding through thetransom-beam in either direction, and being resisted by the springs,

, makes both a spring draw-bar and a yielding buffer.

The. tube m should be slotted longitudinally at the transom-beam toallow for the passage of the bolt 1', which bolt may be the king-bolt ofthe truck, if so desired. This tubular draftbar may be filled with wood,if desired, to stiffen it.

The framing of the upper part of the car is composed of the rods ortubes t and longitudinal tubes or rods u, as heretofore employed. Theintersection coupling clips v, however,

are each made of the wrought metal, in the with perforations through thetwo thicknesses of' the flattened band for the passage of thelongitudinal tubes or rods u. This construction of intersecting band isvery strong, and it is easily applied, and renders the frame light anddurable.

The sills w, formed of flattened tubes, bars, or bands at the lowerparts of the sides of the car, receive the upper ends of theintermediate transverse tubes or rods of the platform, and these silltubes or rods are to be notched or indented where the framing tubes orrods pass at each side of them.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The combination, with the longitudinal andtransverse tubes or rods, of the straps e and blocking-pieces 2substantially as set forth.

2. The intersection coupling-clips '0, each made of a flattened band,with tubular openings through at opposite sides for the tubes or rods t,and with a transverse perforation for the tube or rod u, in combinationwith said longitudinal and transverse rods or tubes of the metalliccar-frame, substantially as set forth.

3. The tubular draft-bar m, made with the coupling-head at one end, andpassing transversely through the transom-beam, in combination with thesprings n 0 and collars 3 4 at each side of the beam, substantially asset forth.

Signed by me this 6th day of April, 'A. D. 1877.

B. J. LA MOTHE. Witnesses:

G110. T. PINCKNEY, HAROLD SERRnLL.

